VALENTINE

The album is listed in the wrong category of Progarchives - it's not a "Boxset & Compilations" album; rather, it's the follow-up to his acclaimed "Lifemask" album. Despite some throwaway songs and being a bit spotty in places, this does rank among his finest releases of the 1970s, his greatest period. The opening "Forbidden Fruit" is among his greatest short love songs, as is the concluding "Forever." (Originally appearing on his first album, Sophisticated Beggar, this version is far superior.) On the other hand, this version of "Male Chauvinist Pig Blues" is not nearly as good as the acoustic version on his 1974 (essential) live album, Flashes from the Archives of Oblivion. The next two songs might be my two favorites by Harper, "I'll See You Again" and "Twelve Hours of Sunset." The first one captures everything unique and special about Harper's voice, while the next song perfectly captures the moody, off-kilter creepiness that Harper could do so well. Fans of Floyd should especially love this song.

"Acapulco Gold" is a throw-away track, sounding out of place on the album. (It would sound more at home on a Chet Baker album!) "Commune" starts off sounding like one of those straight folk songs that the young Dylan and Harper used to do (both of course performed great versions of "North Country Girl"), but the second half of the song lifts the song up. Peter Jenner (Pink Floyd's first manager) produced all of Harper's 70s albums, and he does an especially fine job here. Finally, the homage to Che Guevara is one of the few Harper instrumentals from the 70s, and if you are a fan of John Fahey or Leo Kottke or even Jimmy Page's acoustic work with Led Zep you'll appreciate this.